Brendan Gallagher has already chosen his next destination and it shows Toronto was never in the mix

Brendan Gallagher told reporters Vancouver would be a great place to continue his career and Maple Leafs fans hoping to bring in the veteran are out of luck.

Gallagher told the media during the locker room clear-out that he felt like it was time to move on after 14 years with the Montreal Canadiens. The team is working to make a deal to get him headed closer to home, and according to reports he only has one destination in mind - and it's the furthest away from the Maple Leafs you could imagine.

We touched on Gallagher being a great veteran presence for the Maple Leafs and someone who could be a great mentor to the young faces in the lineup like Easton Cowan, as well as others who are coming in like Gavin McKenna.

He's not too shabby on the ice either, and would have been a great complement to the lineup wherever he played.

Gallagher wants to head to Vancouver and his no-trade clause ensures he can do it

But the main goal is getting him on the ice, and with him wanting to have an extended career as opposed to just chasing championships, he just wants to play where he feels appreciated and it sounds like that's close to home.

Gallagher has his sights set on Vancouver as a potential destination and his comments during his exit seem to point heavily in that direction:

That's an opportunity that's there... I'll sit down with my wife and figure out what's best for our family and you go forward but certainly Vancouver would be a great place.

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It was also reported by David Pagnotta that Montreal is more than happy to give Gallagher the chance to explore options as they have no issues finding a deal for the veteran forward:

I think they're going to explore moving him first, and if that's an avenue that they can pursue and go in that direction, I think they'd rather do that than go the buyout route.

It's an option, but I don't think they want to execute it. I think they'd rather go the trade avenue and go from there. We know we mentioned Vancouver, and that would be a good spot for him. We'll see if the Canucks reciprocate in terms of interest.

While Vancouver is in rebuild mode, they do need themselves some veteran leadership on and off the ice, and Gallagher has been a reliable and consistent player for his entire career. He's not the flashiest or biggest guy, but his heart more than makes up for it.

But he's also a little pricey at $6.5-million for this season, though is a free agent next summer so it's not a huge commitment to Vancouver, and they can likely re-sign him for cheaper later on.

The fit in Toronto's locker room was perfect but Gallagher only ever had one place in mind

Typically if a player is exploring free agency or looking to get out of a deal, they would have a few options in their head. Even Dylan Larkin has a few more teams than expected who he could turn to despite initially only wanting to go to three places.

But Gallagher has one place and one place only in mind, and that's Vancouver which means the Maple Leafs miss out on a much needed addition to the lineup.

Not only would you be expected to get 15-20 goals a season (even if he's coming off a down year), but you're also getting an above average defender and two-way forward who impacts the game at both ends of the ice.

He would've fit perfectly alongside William Nylander on the wing and been able to keep the puck in the zone; therefore increasing offensive opportunities.

Plus, Gallagher is a genuinely beloved player who has a lot of respect from everyone around the league and adding a trusted voice into the locker room can only benefit the team as a whole - not just the rookies or young guns (and it adds a new wrinkle into the Habs/Leafs rivalry).

But Vancouver is where Gallagher's heart truly lies and you can't fault him for wanting to choose his own path, especially after nearly a decade and a half in Montreal. It's just a shame that Toronto missed out because he could certainly help bring a nice balance to the lineup wherever he played.

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